Sudden Hearing loss _{Page 73 of 105}

Hi everyone,

Hi scorpio, I combine my very good primary Ins. and Medicaid makes up the difference. If I didn't have good primary insurance I would have to go to Medicaid approved doctors and dentists (very second rate care the poor and disabled get for dentistry in WA state..it's a terrible class bias.) I feel very fortunate to have good primary insurance. The whole topic of medical/dental elitism in the United States makes me mad. Before I understood how my dental ins. worked I made the mistake of taking my youngest son to a state subsidized dentist (Seamar). There they diagnosed cavities that, when I luckily changed dentists before further dental work, did not exist in my son's mouth according to the new dentist.

The lack of continuity you describe sounds not only bad for your care but also rather wasteful for the system because it may take more time and resources to get to the bottom of a medical problem. Hopefully it's not too hard on you to have to pay out of pocket. I'm sure there are many who can't pay themselves who just have to wait on tests and procedures. As I said I get steamed about social issues. You don't realize how important your coverage is until you or someone you love gets sick.

Scorpio, do you find that people pick up on your not being able to hear in public situations? Most times people don't know that there is anything wrong with me but today I had a hard time at Starbuck's with the excruciating steam sounds and a very soft spoken girl behind the counter. I really had to look right at her to be sure of what she was saying. Once in a while I will have a hard enough time understanding when it's noisy etc. that I will just say that I have a hearing impairment to whomever I'm talking to. I don't usually go into it and people just accept what I say. Well, scorpio, post how you are when you feel like it.

Hey, brokenear. Is that a black cat on your lap?! Hmmm,the plot thickens. I have a black cat too. And, they look so innocent. Just kidding, I love my black cat, Coal. He really is a nice and smart friend. Pets mean a lot when something really awful happens to you. I'll think about putting a picture up but am embarrassed after all of my revealing personal stuff to do with stress and all. Just imagine regal Miss Piggy, the muppet, with the goldilocks and round face etc., lol, that's me. Thank you for sharing your nice picture. Not everyone will want to do the same because there's a freedom to anonymity. But, it would be nice to see the people who have become friends on this forum too.

I agree totally with your 'rant', brokenear. Stingy ins. co.s should all go deaf for the lack of understanding. I think that deafness is regarded as somehow less important than other impairments like visual and mobility impairments. Being deaf is so much worse than hearing people can imagine. I feel total panic at the idea of losing my good ear..knowing what it really is to be deaf from my bad ear. I'm glad your have had good results from your hearing aids.

Is SANDMANRANCH still around? I think his last post was quite awhile ago. He was with his dad who was in hospice. I'm quite hit and miss. Sometimes people just fade away from this forum and I feel bad not to have said goodbye. SSHL is a life changing event. I have never followed through as a member of any forum as I have with this one. Thanks everyone!

Frogs.

P.S. MarkLM, did you ever straighten out your insurance in order to be approved for a BAHA? As you said, it is better to be approved, even if you don't use the BAHA, because you never know what technology they'll come up with next.

gdavis9999:

My hearing loss hasn't changed since onset of SSHNL, but I have had two awful attacks of increased tinnitus. The attacks and the curve of my hearing loss (low frequencies) have me wondering about the diagnosis of atypical Meniere's. What symptoms led to your diagnosis? Did you take an ECOG test?

Thanks,
Ted

Hi Frogs

In general the NHS is fine - but sometimes for urgent/serious things it is better to use the private healthcare. I lost my hearing on the 6th November 2008 and by going to the private clinic, I was able to get my MRI scan within a week. I paid for this myself, although now I have joined a private scheme where I can use private healthcare for all initial diagnostic tests/consultations. It costs only £5 a month for this scheme, and great value considering the costs of private scans and private consultants appointments.The NHS did do a series of blood tests on me within the first week and had results back within a week so that was pretty good. The main backlog is with MRI/CAT scans.

Generally most people don't realise I am deaf on one side, althought they probably wonder why I twist my head round to the left so that my right ear is pointing in their direction. Sometimes I do have to say if someone is talking to me on my left or in noisey places. I have had to apologise at supermarket checkout as I didn't hear the bag packer speak to me. She was on my left and had asked me three times if I wanted the toiletries in a different bag. I didnt hear her until she really raised her voice and she was irritated.All I a had heard was a distant voice but didnt realise I was being spoken to.I also walked into the wrong doctors room at clinic as I couldnt hear the announcement properly... embarrassing!
What about yourself? Have you had difficulties adjusting. Do you have tinnitus too?

Hello All and greetings from Cancun! I'm here working so it's not as good as it sounds - though it's still pretty nice ! (Well mostly nice unitl an enormous generator turned on for a couple of hours right near where I was working. It still amazes me that since I lost my hearing loud noises are now hell !)

Frogs - I did not get my insurance worked out. My doctor said he was going to pursue it - even though I wasn't interested in a BAHA. He wanted to get the paperwork approved just in case I changed my mind. I haven't asked and he hasn't called to say it's OK. However, when I read through my insurance coverage information it said something to the effect of 'no hearing aids or bone implanted hearng devices'. My guess is that the insurance companies are getting wise to the BAHA devices and are specifically excluding them. Yep - let those decision makers at United Health Care be deaf for a week ! Anyone see the movie Sicko ?

And finally to Scorpiouk - I think that pretty much all of us now have tinittus and we have all had problems adjusting. However, speaking for myself, I think my timittus has slowly decreased (or perhaps I have simply adjusted). And adjusting to not hearing at the grocery store (and everywhere else) is a slow process that I don't think we will ever finish.

Gotto get back to work. Everyone take care.

Mark

Hi saucix and sweetsoundoffrogs, and all fellow SSHL victims,

The tinnitus was both ears, with high and mid frequency losses worse in the right ear. SSHL was my left ear, which WAS my better ear!

Yes, that is a black cat named Cinderella, or Cindy for short, on my lap. She will be 21 years old 7/4/09. I love my cat, and she loves me. Animals do help us deal with life. I hope I have her around for many more years, but I realize the reality of lifespans.

No one needs to feel shy about posting a picture, we are all human and have faults as well as blessings. Thanks for agreeing with my 'rant'. My worst panic after SSHL was when I couldn't hear cars in parking lots to my left that could have run me over. I became a swivel head! Thanks to the hearing aids that is no longer a problem!

Hi All, I hurt my back from dancing around with my chubby 10 month old gradn daughter. If it makes any one feel better, tinnitus / hearing loss is better then a painful back anyday! This back thing will pass but it's agony! Catch Ya, Trish

Hello all,

I just got my first really good news since my SSNHL diagnosis in early November. My hearing test, for the first time, shows improvement! I've gained 10-25dB in the low frequencies.

It has been more than four months since the onset of hearing loss. The last doctor I spoke with (for a second opinion) said, this late in the game, you can't expect any progress. I'm glad to prove her wrong.

Of course, I have no way of knowing whether the improvement is temporary or permanent. But it is encouraging, and I hope those of you who have been waiting for things to get better will find a little hope in my good fortune.

Best,
Ted

I'm cheered by my latest hearing test results, but I've also been thinking about what the test doesn't measure. Really, I'm surprised at how crude the standard test is. I don't mean to be a downer, but I want to share my thoughts.

Obviously, the test doesn't measure the range between the frequencies tested. You may have a severe dip in your hearing between, say, 1kHz and 2kHz, but the test will never catch it.

The test also doesn't gauge distortions. When the audiologist plays a 250Hz tone, I don't hear a tone, I hear a burst of noise. The test results show that I hear it - but actually I _perceive_ it without being able knowing what it sounds like.

The results don't reflect my hyperacusis, which transposes midrange frequencies down into what seems like a subaudio zone where they're painful. They don't reflect the high, zingy, springy noises I hear when my daughter is playing scales on the piano two rooms away. They don't track the feeling of fullness that has made my ear feel stuffed up for months. And, of course, they don't account for the tinnitus that's constantly blowing, whistling, and buzzing in my ear.

So, while the improved test results are heartening, they also strike me as somewhat misleading. I can imagine (hoping with all my heart!) a day when I leave the audiologist's office with a page that shows identical curves for my left and right ears. But even at that point, probably there will be lots of room for improvement.

I'm one of those who recovered hearing after the oral prednison, and 4 ear steroid injections.
My hearing is almost 100%
which I'm very thankfull for.
My question is, and i don't see any one that recovered commenting, about lingering
noise sensitivity, kind of echoing, with some pitches.
Some loud noises can still be painfull, and I feel some
unnatural vibration, with some noises, like loud voices, etc. I feel I can hear perfectly, but the sound of my own voice, sounds muffled.
Does any one can comment on similar experiences?
Also since the ear injections actually punctures the ear drum, could this be the cause of some disconfort, until fully healed?
Thanks
Gab

Ted...that is wonderful news! Good for you! I'm at month five and still am profoundly deaf on my L side. Maybe there's still hope...?

Tdgrnwld...I'm going with Ted's good news, although I completely understand and identify with how you feel with the fullness and tinnitus.

Maraja...Yes, after my injections, my ear had tremendous pain. Now, I've had pain from the beginning and still have it daily (after 5 months) to the point where my ENT sent me to a neurologist...I just don't want any more drugs! But the pain after the shots was very different and frankly scared me into thinking something had really gone wrong deep inside from the shots...and mentioned it to the doctor. I definitely can tell, though, that those particular pains are gone, so yes, I think you may be on the right track.

Thanks for listening...I continue to pray for this little gang of sufferers. I fortunately have lots of love and support, but even so I can tell it's hard for anyone who hasn't had this happen to truly understand.

Hi everybody,

Yep, Scorpio, I have had EXACTLY that grocery store experience! There are so many echoey noises in a big, high ceilinged place like the WINCO store I shop at that I can't understand much, even with my hearing ear..which is great most of the time. So, recently, the checker greats me and I just totally ignore her until my eldest boy nudges me and says 'she said hi to you.' I don't feel embarrassed for myself but I know it embarrasses my very correct eldest.

When I first went deaf I remember talking to a lady working behind the deli counter when shopping. Something about the way she was talking made her difficult to understand for me so I finally told her I have a hearing impairment. She was interested and I had just been to the doctor so I tried to explain sshl. She said she had heard of what had happened to Phil Collins the musician. Then she said something that I'll never forget. With all the best intentions she said 'Well, you don't look like a deaf person.' That gave me a really odd feeling. What does a deaf person look like? She was saying that I didn't look like the handicapped type. Wow! Well, I am.

Anyway, to answer your question about tinnitis, Scorpio, I have crazy tinnitis in my deaf ear. I think I would be able to hear better if I didn't have it. One person described it as 'high tension wires' and that's pretty close but I have a lot of twittering, musical sounds too. I worry when I have high pitched tinnitis in my good ear which will come and go according to how I'm feeling it seems.

Well, I'm about to get kicked off of the computer by one of my sons. So, quickly, I haven't seen 'Sicko', Mark. I like horror movies when they're good..there has to be a story etc. I'll check it out for the reference. I notice all kinds of references to deafness in media, literature etc. now. In Shakespeare's 'Julius Caesar' Caesar is deaf in one ear (but that's also metaphorical in his character.) Anyway, I'm more tuned into the human condition and the rather mechanical limitations of our bodies now. Too bad big insurance companies exec.s lack human sympathy. Cancun sounds really fun! And, yeah, there's a real irony to being deaf yet the hearing you have remaining being hypersensitive. I often get tired of explaining that to family, who sometimes make loud, painful sounds around me. Like mimiof4 says, 'it's hard for anyone who hasn't had this happen to truly understand.'

I'm going to write a separate post to you later, BROKENEAR, because I have taken too much space with this post and have to get off of the computer. But, I too LOVE my cat. Cinderella is a nice name for your black cat. I hope she lives as long as she can with good health! I really appreciate your picture and am thinking about posting a picture of some kind. I might need help since all I can do is copy and paste, lol!

One last thing. Who knows what the odds are of someone being the victim of an sshl any given year? I know that the odds are really small. We are a small small group. My best to everyone!

Frogs.

Hi Frogs and everyone

Quick question - I haven't flown since I lost my hearing last November, but will be flying shorthaul next week. I'm nervous about this incase it makes my tinnitus worse or does something wierd to either my deaf ear or good ear (even though I know that flying isn't a cause of SSHL). Has anyone flown since onset and has it had any affects at all, even on the tinnitus?

I , too, am flying next week for the first time since my terrible experience with sudden hearing loss, now recovered, but mine turned out to have been due to a pressure incident rupturing the membrane 'window' in my inner ear and I have been lucky to have spontaneous healing. But I wanted to say, my neurotologist told me never to fly without Earplanes (sold in the drugstores here in U.S.) in my ears, or without using both Sudafed and a nasal spray first. I will follow his instructions! Good luck to you, too!

twodogs

scorpiouk, my doctor said the pressure of taking off and landing are the two times there are cause for concern. He also said to use Afrin nasal spray before flying. However, since I had excrutiating pain in my ears (for the first time ever) the last time I flew, his recommendation is that I not fly again. It's not risking my good ear. I'm fortunate that I don't have to fly for business. I can drive to wherever from now on. Good luck to you, twodogs!

THanks for jogging my brain, Mimio..my Dr. did specifically say AFRIN, and I had forgotten! These boards are the greatest!

twodogs

I know...I hate being on the computer at home since I'm on it at work all the time...BUT, this forum really helps me. I'm so happy for those that get all/part of their hearing back (although just a tad jealous). I'm sure I can speak for all of us when I say some stuff applies to me and some doesn't. Still, it helps to get on here and read about everyone's progress.

Hi all,

MarkLM has flown at least twice that I've noticed. He complained of how loud the speaker was for one flight but it sounds like your flight is short, Scorpio. You are right that each of us has things in common sshlwise and things more individual. When I first had my sshl I had a lot of ear popping and still do and so decided not to go on a car trip over mountain passes to Reno, NV. But, I had a choice. Again, it probably depends on the base cause of your sshl as to whether you will have trouble. MarkLM also dives (which I would be way too chicken to do now that I've lost hearing in one ear.) But, he is fine so far. I wish he would see your post, Scorpio. Too bad you can't get a consensus from your ENT doctors so you can be more sure of what to do. Airplanes are really loud so you must definitely have good earplugs like the ones 2dogs describes. It makes sense too that you would want to have clear sinuses. I think I remember my own ENT recommending Sudafed way back when I had my sshl last summer. I hope your flight goes well, Scorpio..that you have nothing to be nervous about. I'm nervous about everything..going to the dentist, eye doctor, you name it.

Hi Brokenear, my cat Coal is 5 years old this spring/summer. I don't know the exact date of his birth because he and his brother were abandoned when we took them in. We had to have Coal's brother put to sleep after he was injured falling trying to escape a racoon or something (I heard the commotion but didn't see what the creature was.) I hope Coal lives to be as old as Cindy! He has a very intelligent and sweet nature. Like most black cats he's very shy of anyone but we his family and doesn't meow very much. He is a good friend who asks very little back. I'm sick today so will end here for now. Take good care.

Frogs.

Frogs and everyone

I do have earplugs so I will take them with me. It is just a short one hour flight, but I also have a long haul flight to the US this June. The day before I lost my hearing I had flown on a shorthaul flight, (about 24 hours before loss of hearing). The doctors didn't think this was responsible for the hearing loss as I had no pressure symptoms/discomfort on the flight or immediately after the flight. I never have had any problems with ears popping or discomfort while flying before, either shorthaul or long haul. Im just really nervous about this one now.

Hi Scorpio,

The nerves are completely understandable. I have actually felt ashamed of how scared I am of ANYTHING surrounding my sshl. But being afraid can serve you..mobilize you. I had been to the dentist the week prior to my sshl. I was given Clindimycin (sp?) for premedication for a supposed heart murmur (very common.) So, I went to a good cardiologist before I next went to the dentist and ruled out a heart murmur and any need for premedication. Turns out I have a really strong heart that the cardiologist described as 'very good.' But I still was afraid of the dentist and any med.s he might use. I actually had the tooth worked on sans any anesthesia because he said he could do it that way. I just didn't want to feel numb on my hearing side as I do on my deaf side..too frightening (the tooth was on the hearing side.)I'm a lot less afraid of temporary pain than being deaf.

So, I understand that you are nervous if you had flown the day before your sshl. From everything I've read and from what my neuro otologist told me the odds are astronomical of your losing your good ear at this point (your hearing loss was in November.) When I first saw my regular ENT..who I don't like, or trust to have looked into sshl much..she said that I had a 1 in 20 chance of going deaf in both ears. But I read one very dry scholarly ariticle that concluded that bilateral (both ears) and unilateral (one ear) hearing loss are completely unrelated..completely different causes. If you have had some sort of inner ear structural problem like 2dogs I'm not so sure that flying is advised. The pressure changes might be hard on a tear or fistulla or whatever.

Anyway, I know that some have flown without any trouble on this forum while others have had trouble but I think you will likely be okay from the way you describe your hearing loss..no popping, or pressure sensitivity so far. I guess I can't totally reassure you because there's always risk. Looking again at mimiof4's post she was advised not to fly by her doctor. Good grief (sigh), I'm just glad that you are trying a shorthaul flight first before flying across the Atlantic. It's something you have to do..kind of like me..I can't lose a tooth because I'm afraid of the dentist now.

I actually felt really happy when I survived that first post sshl dentist appt.! I am quite the baby. I know I will be very very afraid when I first fly again even knowing what my neuro otologist has told me. I am around the same age as you, Scorpio. Forties seem to be a common sshl age. Well, let us all know how you are because we will be WAITING to hear that you are fine, Scorpio!

Sincerely, Frogs.

How long can it take to recover for sudden hearing loss in one ear with moor then 90 dB loss? Started using Prednisone within 4 days, 27 years old, from The Netherlands.

To bartbertus: After what I read you can expect amelioration for up to 6 month but the major window is the first 2-3 weeks...
Can you tell more about your sshl (circumstances) ?
Thanks !

Hi Frogs and everyone

Yes I will definately be chewing gum and sucking sweets on this flight. I fly quite often and have never until now given it a second thought! Now I'm really nervous due to the association with flying the day before my hearing loss, and knowing that flying can cause ear problems etc.Hopefully once I cross this barrier, I will be ok for my US flight in June, although it will be a 10 hour flight as opposed to less than one hour this time.I have turned into a big chicken about dentists too. I haven't been since my hearing loss, but I am also worried about injections on my good side. I'm not bothered about my bad ear as it can't be any worse (except the tinnitus could get worse). It was so bad the first few weeks I nearly went nuts but now it is a constant whooshing noise with the high-tension cables sound and occasional odd metal on metal banging noise!

Bartbertus, I got Prednisone on day 5 (40mg for 5 days) and no improvement at all. However, I had gradual improvment in very high frequency sound about 3 - 5 weeks later. However this has not improved any further since then, and I am profoundly deaf in the low-mid frequencies, so cannot hear voices.

To saucix: It started Saturday 28 February around 12:00. Sunday morning 1 march around 07:00 no hearing at all. Called the doctor and she sad it was a prop en Monday morning I could go to my own doctor to flush it out. Monday 2 march to the doctor assistant but no prop and she thought it was a infection and it will go away on its on. Wednesday again to the doctor because I didn’t trust it. Then I was sent to the hospital to a KNO doctor.
They did a hearing test and I had lost 100-120 dB in my left ear. And Sudden Deafniss was diagnosed. Started using Prednison mindedly. I had no vertigo but I do have tinnitus. It’s a very high steady sound but it getting louder when there is more sound around me.
I’m trying to stay positive en live from day to day en hope for some improvement. I’m very maid about the way the doctors treaded me. It is best to start Prednison within the first 24 to 48 hours.
Now I don’t smoke anymore, don’t drink alcohol, eat very healthy, try to rest as much as I can and hope for the best.
I also started using vitamin E 300 mg 1x daily (on 5 march) and today I started using baby Asprine 80 mg 1x daily. Maybe all little things help.

Hello all,

I'm back from Cancun after an eventful trip that included a broken finger and a dozen stitches. At least this will all heal in less than a month!

Regarding flying, from everything I know there is very very little danger. SSHL is a nerve problem - not a mechanical problem. Assuming our eardrums were fine before SSHL, then they are still fine now. There is absolutely no more risk now in flying then there was before. I have probably made 4 or 5 round trips since my onset - with no problems. As Frogs stated above, my complaint were the safety announcements on full blast and the speaker right above my chair. Besides that all is OK.

The only warning I would give is that if you are sick with a nasty head cold - don't fly. With a cold there is always a risk of blowing out an ear drum. And for us, we can not take that risk.

Good luck baribertus. I certainly hope that you begin to recover your hearing. I began to regain some of my hearing after about 4 days. After about 7-10 days, it didn't change any more. And I started on prednisone within about 12 hours. Your tinnitus sounds the same as mine - it is worse when the noises get louder. It took several months, but I have definitely adjusted to the tinnitus. It's still there, but I do forget about it for long periods of time now. (And I'll also pass on my doctors advice about alcohol. He said that given that I had just lost my hearing, a glass of wine might be just what I needed! Not a bottle - but a glass is certainly ok)

That's it for now- it's too slow and hard typing with one only hand!

Mark

To bartbertus:
I know it's hard but staying positive is the good attitude ! Few doctors know about the condition so your story is quite common... But now you're on the good way... You can also try the HBO treatment if possible in your area ask your doctor... What is your age ? Did you have some stress before it happened ? Anyway as I said stay positive and calm during the recover it only helps ! And we're all here to support you !
Give some news !

Thank you all for the support, it’s helps! I’m 27 years old and yes I had some stress the weak before it happened.